MFWSP 65

Chapter 65

It wasn’t entirely unexpected.

From Grace’s point of view, everything else had followed the original plot exactly, except for the actions of Karsiel and me.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, she had masked it with admiration for us and asked her questions.

“In a way, it’s not unrelated to you, Lady.”

But I had already prepared an answer that she would find satisfying.

“To celebrate Lady Cerve waking up, Duke Cerve sent a golden statue to the Imperial family. I attended the banquet to see the statue and happened to meet the First Prince.”

I answered calmly.

Explaining that the deviation from the original plot was connected to Grace’s transmigration would resolve her curiosity. She would simply think the changes happened because of her.

“By chance, I said something that gave His Highness an insight, which helped in the Kahnab War. As a reward, he helped me regain my position as family head.”

“…I see.”

As expected, Grace accepted my explanation with a bright smile, without a shred of doubt.

“If I hadn’t been here, everything would have gone differently.”

“You’re right, Lady.”

I smiled. It wasn’t wrong.

“You’ve brought many changes to my life.”

“Then… could I perhaps call you Iris?”

She asked brightly.

Although her curiosity was now satisfied, her interest in me remained intense.

“And you can call me by my name too!”

Karsiel, who had been quietly observing, raised one eyebrow.

I was officially a duke, which technically made me of higher status than Grace.

Even so, no one around us seemed to care.

It was common for people of similar age and gender to speak casually, but more importantly, Grace had already earned everyone’s admiration and respect.

Being called the “Prophet of Cerve” and even a goddess in her hometown, titles and honorifics meant little when addressing her.

“As you wish,”

I replied, equally unconcerned about titles.

It would only make me look petty if I insisted on being called “Duke.”

Grace beamed.

“Iris, I think we’ll be great friends. I’m really interested in you.”

Her eyes sparkled.

“And I already know quite a lot about you, so…”

Before I could respond, she reached out and gently placed her hand on my forehead.

“Let me give you a prophecy!”

“…What?”

“To celebrate our new friendship—and I saw something, too.”

She continued with a confident smile, as if telling me not to bother thanking her.

“Oh, a prophecy about the Duke of Apellemeon?”

“This sounds like fun!”

“I’m jealous. I wanted a prophecy too.”

People sitting nearby chimed in with support.

“…Your ties to the capital won’t last long,”

Grace said, her expression turning serious.

“You’re beautiful and wise, but you’ll live a life unlike that of ordinary nobles. That’s your fate.”

Her gentle voice somehow rubbed me the wrong way.

“Staying too long in the capital will be dangerous. When the time comes, just leave. The more you cling to it, the harder it will become.”

“…”

“You’ll probably wander the continent for a long time, never settling.”

Some people gasped and glanced at me, but I remained silent, listening carefully—or rather, analyzing the information she was leaking.

From the beginning, Grace had planned to use a “curse” to drive me out of the capital.

A bitter smile formed.

What had she said in the past life?

“When the details got confusing, I just watched what you did. Which abandoned mine you’d choose, when you’d catch Kanus… and at the very end, I was just a little faster.”

She planned everything—banishing me from the capital so I’d live a life similar to the original story, all to observe it and gather the information she needed.

And this prophecy she was giving me now likely served the same purpose.

Faced with this unexpected curse—something not in the original—she met me and now wanted to plant the idea that “wandering the empire is my destiny” in my head.

Of course, such brainwashing only worked if I respected and admired her like everyone else did.

“It might be a difficult life. But…”

“…”

“I might be the only person who can help you.”

She whispered.

“So when that time comes, you must come to me first, and tell me what you’re thinking.”

“…”

“Oh, how tragic! Your life will be dark, lonely, and full of hardship…”

“Enough.”

“…Huh?”

Grace’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit at my sudden interruption.

“I’ve humored you long enough. I didn’t ask for this prophecy, and I don’t care to hear any more of your rude assumptions.”

I brushed her hand off my forehead.

I’d heard enough. It was time to shatter the illusion for the onlookers who were captivated by her performance.

If I tolerated her any further, I’d be lending my name to the fame of this self-proclaimed prophet.

“W-What do you mean…?”

“Whatever you think you’ve seen, my life belongs to me. Even if the gods intended something, I believe they would’ve told me directly—not through you.”

“B-But… My prophecies are accurate. I’m the prophet sent by the gods…”

“Your prophecies about the Cerve estate aren’t my concern. But Apellemeon is a different story.”

“I wasn’t finished!”

Grace, flustered, tried to place her hand back on my head.

Her usually elegant and innocent face contorted slightly.

“I’m just trying to help. Why won’t you—”

I stood and shook off her hand.

“The Apellemeon duchy in the capital is my home, and I am its master.”

I met her gaze and issued a firm warning.

“You have no right to speak about its future so carelessly.”

Grace flinched and took a step back.

“L-Lady, the Duke isn’t entirely wrong…”

One of the men who had just been praising her now grabbed her sleeve nervously.

“Saying she’ll leave the capital is a bit…”

“I didn’t say anything wrong!”

Grace shook him off and glared at me.

“I thought we were going to be friends.”

Her expression, once childlike in its surprise, now tinged with anger.

“You don’t know anything.”

She lowered her voice.

“If you knew what I’d seen, you would…”

“I don’t care.”

“You’re just a side character.”

She muttered bitterly under her breath, unable to control her emotions at being treated coldly for the first time.

“If you have something to say, say it properly.”

I responded coolly, not cutting her any slack.

“Not that it’ll interest me anyway.”

“Whether you’re a lady or a duke, in the end, you’re just a side character in the Paranas Empire.”

Grace leaned closer, whispering in my ear.

“You’re not the main character of this world, and you never will be. So stop pretending you are.”

Her voice was cold, but confident. If I didn’t understand what she meant, I might’ve been too scared to reply.

“Still talking nonsense.”

But I did understand what she meant by “main character” and “side character.”

Just more of her self-centered logic.

“If you don’t step back, I’ll consider it an insult to the Duke of Apellemeon and make a formal complaint to the Imperial Family.”

“Hmph…”

Grace stepped back, her face twisted in frustration.

“I was going to help… but don’t blame me for whatever happens next.”

“Strangely, I have a feeling you’d be of no help to me anyway.”

“I’m the hero who saved the people of Cerve.”

She declared arrogantly.

“Whether you believe me or not, you should still show me respect. My father…”

She seemed to have more to say.

“A hero, huh? Doesn’t it embarrass you to say that about yourself?”

At that moment, a voice quietly cut in.

Grace’s mouth fell open when she saw who it was.

“…K-Karsiel?”

“You do know this banquet is to celebrate victory, don’t you?”

He had watched the entire scene from his seat, now resting his chin on one hand, his gaze piercing.

“Many who participated lost limbs—some even their lives—to stop the Targun from invading deeper into the empire.”

Karsiel’s voice was calm and cold. Grace’s face turned pale.

“T-That’s why I told Father. That we must help you, Your Highness…”

“Duke Cerve ignored my support requests for two years. I accepted that—it was his decision as a noble. But now, his daughter calls herself a hero at the victory banquet of a war he abandoned? In front of the Duke of Apellemeon, who helped end the war?”

“That’s not true!”

Grace shook her head furiously.

“You don’t understand how much I want to help you. How much it hurts me when you suffer!”

Her round eyes grew even wider as she looked at him—eyes full of deep admiration and longing, likely rooted in the time she spent reading the original story.